Description

“My Struggle” (German: [maɪn ˈkampf]; lit. ‘Mein Kampf’) is a 1925 autobiographical manifesto written by Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party. This work chronicles Hitler’s transformation into an antisemitic figure and expounds on his political ideology and future vision for Germany. The first volume of Mein Kampf was published in 1925, followed by the release of the second volume in 1926. Emil Maurice initially edited the book, later succeeded by Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess.

Hitler commenced the writing of Mein Kampf during his imprisonment subsequent to the failed Munich coup in November 1923 and a subsequent trial in February 1924, where he was convicted of high treason and sentenced to five years. Despite numerous initial visitors, Hitler dedicated himself entirely to the book. Recognizing the need for a two-volume work, he aimed to release the first volume in early 1925. The governor of Landsberg observed that Hitler hoped the book’s multiple editions would aid in meeting financial obligations and covering trial-related expenses. Initially slow in sales, Mein Kampf later became a bestseller in Germany after Hitler’s ascent to power in 1933.

Upon Hitler’s death, the copyright for Mein Kampf passed to the state government of Bavaria, which prohibited any copying or printing of the book in Germany. In 2016, following the expiration of Bavaria’s copyright, Mein Kampf was republished in Germany for the first time since 1945. This event sparked public debate and garnered mixed reactions from Jewish groups. Scholars from the Institute of Contemporary History in Munich published a comprehensive two-volume, nearly 2,000-page German edition with approximately 3,500 annotations. In 2021, a 1,000-page French edition, based on the German annotated version, was released, featuring roughly twice as much commentary as text.

In Mein Kampf, Hitler articulates the central theme of “the Jewish peril,” asserting a conspiracy by Jews to attain global dominance. The narrative traces his evolving antisemitism and militarism, particularly during his time in Vienna. Initially liberal and tolerant, Hitler’s encounter with antisemitic publications led him to adopt these views, which became integral to his vision for Germany’s national reconstruction.

The book is also analyzed as a political theory work, wherein Hitler expresses his aversion to what he perceives as the world’s two evils: communism and Judaism. He attributes Germany’s challenges to the Weimar Republic’s parliament, Jews, Social Democrats, Marxists, contending that these entities served Jewish interests. Hitler advocates for the complete eradication of the parliamentary system, branding it inherently corrupt.

Regarding antisemitism, while historians debate the exact timing of Hitler’s decision to exterminate Jews, Mein Kampf, published in 1925, reveals his personal grievances and aspirations for a New Order. Hitler endorses The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a fabricated text used in Nazi propaganda to justify persecuting and annihilating Jews.

Historian Ian Kershaw notes genocidal undertones in Mein Kampf, citing passages where Hitler discusses the extermination of “international poisoners” and proposes the use of poison gas against perceived enemies. Hitler’s racial laws align with Mein Kampf, where he deems the destruction of the weak as more humane, creating space and purity for the strong.

Hitler’s anti-Slavic sentiments and the concept of Lebensraum (living space) are evident in Mein Kampf. He expresses disdain for the racial mixture in Vienna and views the Japanese victory over Russia in 1904 as detrimental to Austrian Slavism. In the chapter “Eastern Orientation or Eastern Policy,” Hitler advocates for German expansion in the East, rejecting previous colonial policies and emphasizing a shift to soil-focused policies. He opposes attempts to Germanize Slavs, criticizing past efforts in Austria and cautioning against language imposition on ethnic Poles in Germany, citing concerns about damaging the German nation’s “dignity” and “nobility.”